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The SPAD A.2 (also called SA.2, A-2 or A2) was a French tractor biplane of 1915 that saw some service with France and Russia in the early stages of World War I in the fighter-reconnaissance role.
The SPAD A.2 was an improved version of the A.1 which first flew on 21 May 1915 and later went into production. A total of 99 were produced (42 for France and 57 for Russia). Its flight characteristics were still disappointing and the aircraft was not well-loved by its crews. In spite of this lack of success, the design brought valuable experience to Béchereau and his team and some features, notably the one-bay wing with intermediate struts, were to be used later by Béchereau for the SPAD S.5, which would lead to the extremely successful S.VII and S.XIII fighters.
Russian models were modified to use skis instead of the undercarriage for winter operations.
The A.2 had a short and inauspicious career in the French Aviation Militaire. Its crews did not appreciate it and it was quickly replaced in service by better types as the introduction of synchronizing gear rendered the entire concept of the A.2 obsolete. Few details are available concerning its career.
The Imperial Russian Air Service was the other user of the SPAD A.2 and kept it in service for a much longer time, due to a shortage in available aircraft on the Russian-German front. Although Russian crews also thought very little of the SPAD, at least one crew was successful with it. On November 25, 1916, Russian pilot Karpov and his observer Bratolyubov shot down a German aircraft near the village of Vulka.
This plane was used in Russia during the Civil War.
